Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that a new variant of Tesla Model Y would be released this year. The said variant would add a third row, transforming it into a seven-seater compact SUV. Meanwhile, the U.S. electric vehicle maker recently released a new software update that boosts the range of the existing Model Y.

7-Seater Tesla Model Y

On Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to an inquiry about updates on the seven-seater Model Y. The executive mentioned that Tesla starts the production of the new Model Y variant in November. Initial delivery for the upcoming vehicle would be in early December, Musk said.

At present, the Tesla Model Y available in the U.S. is a five-seater electric vehicle. It features an extra option to include a couple of rear seats in the trunk. The new seven-seater Tesla Model Y could be a more useful option since it features a fully-functional third row.

Tesla has not yet said anything about the impact of the third row in the performance of the new variant of Tesla Model Y. However, fans can anticipate that the top configuration model of the upcoming seven-seater Model Y could launch from 0-62 MPH in the middle three-seconds mark despite the added weight.

New Software Update

In other Tesla Model Y news, the popular electric vehicle maker rolls out a new software update to its fleet. According to Tesla, the update increases vehicles' efficiency and boosts the range of the current Model Y variant. The news surfaced following rumors that Tesla plans to increase the range of almost all of its new electric vehicles.

Electrek reported that an owner of Tesla Model Y Long Range installed the latest software update, which resulted in an increased range of 320-325 miles. A few days ago, the official website of the electric vehicle makers listed the EPA estimated range for the same Model Y configuration to be 316 miles. After updating, Model Y owners can expect a range increase of four to nine miles.

Tesla Model Y was first launched in March 2019 and was advertised as the less expensive and more streamlined version of the Model X. Production started in January 2020, but the Model Y started arriving in customers in March 2020.

In the latest update's note, Tesla mentioned that the term 'increased efficiencies' refers to the functionality of the powertrain and the climate control systems. The electric vehicle maker noted that these efficiencies do not relate to increased performance or acceleration of the vehicle's climate control systems.